Concerns with path snapping/joining

Merino · Mar 21, 2016

So I'm absolutely impressed with what I am seeing from the press event footage except that I feel the path system is still not near where I would personally like to see it.

Paths seem to only snap/connect to each other at a close to 90 degree angle which seems way to limited for my taste. I want to see paths seperate and join up at all kinds of angles and naturally flowing curves.

An example in this video at 09:00:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i6Yoatoz30

I would really like to see it possible for the exit path to join up with the existing path in a nice diagonal line (straight from the ramp towards the path). Instead Flabalki needs to change it all up so that the paths connect at a 90 degree angle.

Also it seems that when two paths are running parallel right along side each other they won't connect up into a larger double wide path. So it seems that the maximum width of a single path is the biggest one can get. This seems to make plaza structures impossible (or at least not bigger then the widest path size).

In this video Blitzkrieg is trying to build a plaza mall type building but is unable to create a path/plaza large enough to connect all shops together @ 12:16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaTn9o554xI

I kinda still want more freedom to paths. Make us able to merge/join them in any angle or to any width/shape(large round plaza) as we'd like. Kinda wish we could just paint pavement onto surface rather than still having to do it piece by piece with limitations as to how they connect and combine. Also curved slopes are still not in according to the Flabalki video.

Thoughts?

Pete4live · Mar 21, 2016

Merino said:
So I'm absolutely impressed with what I am seeing from the press event footage except that I feel the path system is still not near where I would personally like to see it.

Paths seem to only snap/connect to each other at a close to 90 degree angle which seems way to limited for my taste. I want to see paths seperate and join up at all kinds of angles and naturally flowing curves.

An example in this video at 09:00:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i6Yoatoz30

I would really like to see it possible for the exit path to join up with the existing path in a nice diagonal line (straight from the ramp towards the path). Instead Flabalki needs to change it all up so that the paths connect at a 90 degree angle.

Also it seems that when two paths are running parallel right along side each other they won't connect up into a larger double wide path. So it seems that the maximum width of a single path is the biggest one can get. This seems to make plaza structures impossible (or at least not bigger then the widest path size).

In this video Blitzkrieg is trying to build a plaza mall type building but is unable to create a path/plaza large enough to connect all shops together @ 12:16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaTn9o554xI

I kinda still want more freedom to paths. Make us able to merge/join them in any angle or to any width/shape(large round plaza) as we'd like. Kinda wish we could just paint pavement onto surface rather than still having to do it piece by piece with limitations as to how they connect and combine. Also curved slopes are still not in according to the Flabalki video.

Thoughts?

Maybe try the game tomorrow and find out?

DrVagax · Mar 21, 2016

Pete4live said:
Maybe try the game tomorrow and find out?

He is just simply stating a possible issue, no reason to brush that off as "try it lol"

Dante80 · Mar 21, 2016

Merino said:
I kinda still want more freedom to paths. Make us able to merge/join them in any angle or to any width/shape(large round plaza) as we'd like. Kinda wish we could just paint pavement onto surface rather than still having to do it piece by piece with limitations as to how they connect and combine. Also curved slopes are still not in according to the Flabalki video.

Thoughts?

Regarding diagonals or more connecting options, I think that this will get better as we move along.
Regarding combining paths to form plazas though, I think that this is a problem with the way the guest flows are propagated in the game. We might not be able to make more wide paths than the maximum listed.

coasterhype · Mar 21, 2016

i completely agree with you merino , to solve this problem we need a fill-in-path tool to close gaps or create real plazas. like angelis mentioned in antoher thread.

Gysan · Mar 21, 2016

Yeah I agree.

One way to create big plazas and free shaped open walkways as in real theme parks could be you first outline the plaza with paths and then have a fill-bucket-tool to fill the empty area it surrounds. That would be kind of easy and comprehensive to use I think.

And as showed in Blitzkrieg video, it should be as easy to connect the roads between shops adjacent to one another as it is to connect them side by side in the building tool. I hope they will fix this soon. [up]
I want to build food courts as well.

matty b1 · Mar 21, 2016

I agree Merino.
I would have thought that we could connect paths together with much more precision.

For example I would like to have my ticket booth come straight off the main path, not that it automatically creates a small side-path.

This is the focus of this alpha so I suppose this is exactly what the devs need to hear

OlaHaldor · Mar 21, 2016

I honestly don't see a problem with the paths, except that it would be nice to have a slope along a curve.
Looking at a lot of the videos posted, many of them build their paths so close they lose control over the final length between the main path and the queue or exit paths. I'm sure we can build it the other way around so we gain more control where they connect to the main path.

matty b1 · Mar 21, 2016

The paths don't seem to join to each other side ways. It seems some of us would like that, that's all.

Dante80 · Mar 21, 2016

matty b said:
The paths don't seem to join to each other side ways. It seems some of us would like that, that's all.

Of course, this is a good thing. What we are saying is that the current alpha system does not give us the opportunity to join paths at steep/narrow angles, or make paths that are more than 10m wide (for example, square plazas for a mall).

Things like the above should also be in the game I think (as well as stairs, and paths following the terrain angles etc etc).

Demonoid74 · Mar 21, 2016

So far , just from what I am seeing , as have not actually tried it yet...I would say the path creation tools for Theme Park Studio give far more freedom at this stage in time...but with a much higher learning curve to use properly .

Not disappointed though , as the path creation is fine...it could be far worse <cough> RTCW <cough> [haha]

matty b1 · Mar 21, 2016

Dante80 said:
Of course, this is a good thing. What we are saying is that the current alpha system does not give us the opportunity to join paths at steep/narrow angles, or make paths that are more than 10m wide (for example, square plazas for a mall).

Things like the above should also be in the game I think (as well as stairs, and paths following the terrain angles etc etc).

Yes, what you said too

I was trying to simplify it.

I assume the core issue is the same though. The path system seems very rigid in connecting and combining them.

iammortos · Mar 22, 2016

After watching quite a few videos, it does look like there might be some issues with getting the paths exactly how you want them and getting them to connect. I had similar issues with skylines roads however.... Almost wish it was like a paint brush type thing, but i guess that makes it hard for the guests walking nodes. Looking forward to getting into some testing tomorrow or over te weekned!

Nadz · Mar 22, 2016

After playing 3 extremely frustrating hours of the Alpha I can say the path tools are horrific. Little to no control, completely unintuitive, painfully frustrating.

The game look fantastic and whilst 99% of what id expect to see in the base game is missing so far there is certainly potential for a fantastic game. Unfortunately the path tools completely detracted from all that and after 3 hours of fighting with them I couldn't wait to exit.

I understand its an alpha and all things are subject to change and all that (Thank god!!) but paths are the backbone of any park building game. In there current state the path tools (for me at least) make the game completely unplayable.

In my honest opinion Frontier need to go all they way back to the drawing board on the path tools they are a complete Miss!!

Vampiro · Mar 22, 2016

Nadz said:
In my honest opinion Frontier need to go all they way back to the drawing board on the path tools they are a complete Miss!!

I dont think the game is unplayable but i do share your concearns.
Just like you i have been playing around a bit with the path's and it's not easy to pretend where they are going. For example i have 2 rides and i want to make a perfect straight path in between them when i already have path's and the beginning and at the end AND i have exit's that should connect to the new path.

I have spend a good amount of time but the path will never connect the way i want it to connect so the only thing i can do is delete all other path's. lay my main path and then connect all others to it again.

This way it seems like the path's ALWAYS have to be layed out first, and then rides and scenery can be added because if you do it the other way around its nearly impossible to make straight path's without it autoconnecting in weird ways. I do agree the path feature needs some work.

Just personally speaking, a nice addition it would be nice to -also- have the old school RCT3 type of making path's. That way i can pinpoint exectly where i want my path's to go, and if i want to make curves and angles i can use the "new" way.